Welcome to Week 4: TO THINK IS TO CREATE

It's that time again. :-) I hope you've had a chance to experiment with meditation as a lifestyle and are feeling more connected to your beautiful body and spiritual Self! This next topic is a perfect complement to your new meditation practice, so it should be a seamless transition into a new week of self-love . . . (If you missed any of the previous weeks, they are available HERE.)

Week 4 is dedicated to taking responsibility for our thoughts and CREATING OUR OWN REALITY. So often we go through life on autopilot, letting our thoughts dictate how we live our lives, but now it's time to start becoming more aware of our thoughts so that we can choose the life we want. In the video below I will share about my very favorite tool and how it has helped me get back into the moment when my mind wants to run away with me. And guess what? It only takes 90 seconds! Got your journal? Let's get started.

I remember how liberating it felt when I realized that I am not my thoughts, but it wasn't until I learned what to do with them that my life truly began to change.

OUR "homework" for Week 4: (I'm stepping up my game this week; you with me?)

JOURNAL PROMPTS (to be done ASAP to help you prep for the week):

1. How does it feel when you contemplate the fact that you are not your thoughts? Do you agree with this statement? Is it confusing? Liberating? Sit for a moment and just notice what thoughts are coming up for you. Don't judge them; just notice that you are able to witness them, which must mean that you can't also be them, right? Journal how you feel about this concept!
2. Decide what your 90-second practice is going to look like. In the video I mentioned that if we don't judge, fuel, "water" or latch on to a thought, story or emotion, it will dissipate within 90 seconds. So this is where you get to decide what your 90-second "holy pause" looks like.
   • For me, once I notice the thought or feeling and decide that I don't want to "water" it, I immediately place my hands on my heart, start breathing deeply, call in Spirit/God/the Universe, and then get into a space of gratitude. What am I grateful for in this moment?
3. I mentioned Eckhart Tolle's invitation to "accept this moment as if you had chosen it." How does it feel to consider adopting this perspective? How might your life change if you were to practice seeing circumstances as learning opportunities rather than labeling them as problems?

THIS WEEK'S PRACTICES

• Start playing with the following mantras and see how they impact your week. You may write them down, recite them mentally or out loud, etc.
  • To think is to create. (My thoughts create my reality!)
  • Accept this moment as if you had chosen it. (What can I learn from this?)
• Practice being a "witness" to your thoughts, and before you latch on to one, ask yourself, "Do I want to 'water' this seed?" 
• For seeds (thoughts, old stories, emotions, etc.) that you don't want to grow, start experimenting with your new 90-second practice. You can tweak this as you go to find what works for you, but try to keep it simple so that it's an easy tool to grab in the moment.
• Note in your journal any recurring patterns of thinking throughout the week. Sure, I have random thoughts here and there, but the majority of the stories that mess me up are patterns of thinking, recurring fears and insecurities. It's important to note them so that we can explore them at a later time when we aren't feeling charged. It will also be helpful to revisit these when we start setting some big intentions next week.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

IMPORTANT NOTE:

• This week's practice is not meant to discourage you from feeling your feelings. It is so important that we give ourselves permission to feel sad when we're sad or angry when we're angry; the idea is that we don't get stuck in patterns of unproductive and destructive thinking. Feeling is good; obsessing is not!

OK, my friend . . . Feel those feelings, notice those thoughts, make those choices, break those patterns and accept the moment as if you had chosen it; and then forget, mess up and try again! :-)

Have a great week!

XO, Jamie
 

P.S. As always, my one-on-one coaching services are available to you if and when you could use some extra support. Big hugs to you this new week!